YouTube is offering as much as 500,000 euros ($720,000) plus training to help Europeans develop higher quality content for the video-sharing website.

Up to 25 individuals across Europe will win 20,000 euros and training under the company’s NextUp program. They will produce videos that may earn revenue for both themselves and the Google (GOOG)-owned site.

San Bruno-based YouTube aims to attract better quality content that appeals to high-paying advertisers. On Thursday it hosted an event in London in which U.K.-based creators, who collectively have had millions watch their clips, addressed an audience of young people and discussed production, viewers and earning money from the site. The panel included the creator of a YouTube channel that showcases human beatbox performances, cartoon animators and the creator of a series of “how-to” videos on makeup.

“We want to encourage people to participate and become business partners of ours if you like, to submit their content,” said Patrick Walker, YouTube’s senior director of content partnerships for Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Some 35 hours of video are uploaded to YouTube every minute, Walker said. There are 2 billion views a day on the site and 3 billion items are ad-supported.

During an earlier presentation, Walker highlighted the rush by record companies and TV presenters such as Ellen DeGeneres and Oprah Winfrey to nab YouTube sensations for their shows.

“It’s become a land grab out there with the rush to sign people — it’s just crazy,” Walker said. He pointed to media producer Simon Cowell’s recent signing of 10-year-old Heather Russell after a YouTube clip of her singing became popular.

In the U.K., views have increased by 20 percent from last year and the number of people earning more than $10,000 from a YouTube clip rose sevenfold from 2009 to 2010, Walker said.

YouTube also has deals in Britain for full-length ad-supported television content from Channel 4, Channel 5 and the BBC, and works with several production companies, he said.